Pump and blower clutch for washer-dryer



Feb. 8, 1966 H. SAUER P AN BLOWER CLUTCH FOR WASHER DRYER INVENTOR. A.90 flkfizzez" A TTORN S Feb. 8, 1966 H. SAUER 3,233,434

PUMP AND BLOWER CLUTCH FOR WASHER-DRYER Filed Aug. 30, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Z6 0 ff azzey BY W MN... W; 4 I

A TTORNE YS Feb. 8, 1966 H. SAUER 3,233,434

PUMP AND BLOWER CLUTCH FOR WASHER-DRYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 50,1963 IIIIIII/ smmm VIII/II INVENTOR. Zea fl zaer WMM baww A TTORNE YSUnited States Patent M 3,233,434 PUMP AND BLOWER CLUTCH FOR WASHER-DRYERLeo H. Sauer, St. Joseph, Mich., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, St.Joseph, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 30, 1963, Ser. No.395,724 11 Claims. (CI. 68-42) This invention relates generally tolaundry apparatus and more particularly relates to a pump and blowerclutch and drive system for a combination washer-dryer wherein theblower and the pump may be selectively inactivated during the washingand drying periods, respectively, thereby preventing the blower housingfrom becoming wet and preventing lint build up during the washingoperation and eliminating the pump during drying operations to reducepower requirements on the driving motor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved drivesystem for a combination washer-dryer wherein the pumping means for theliquid circuitry of the machine and the blower .for the air circuitry ofthe machine may be selectively activated and inactivated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide awasher-dryer wherein the blower may be inactivated during the washingcycle to prevent the blower housing from becoming wet and to preventlint build up in the blower housing.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide acombination washer-dryer wherein the liquid pumping means may beinactivated during the drying cycle to reduce power requirements on thedrive motor.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pump andblower system for a washer-dryer utilizing a common driving motor andincorporating a clutchtype drive system.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a pump andblower clutch and drive system for a washer-dryer of the typeautomatically operated by a sequential control means through aprogrammed series of washing and drying steps and wherein the pump andblower means of the apparatus may be placed under direct control of thesequential control means for selective activation and inactivation attimes corresponding to prescribed washing and drying operations.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pump and blowerdrive system that maybe selectively inactivated during the washing anddrying period's, thereby reducing the wear on the components of theblower and pump.

Many other objects, features and additional advantages of the presentinvention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon makingreference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanyingsheets of drawings in which a preferred embodiment of a washerdryerincorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way ofillustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a rear view showing the back of a combination washer-dryer;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing additionaldetails of the driving system provided in accordance with the principlesof the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view showing the belt shifting actuator;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IVIV of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pump and a portion of thepulley driving system provided in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention.

As shown on the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention may 2,233,434 PatentedFeb. 8, 1%66 be of general utility to any two-element drive system, theprinciples of the present invention find a particularly usefulapplication when considered in the organization of laundry apparatus andspecifically in combination washerdryer.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a combination washerdryer indicated generallyat 10 having a cabinet 11 with a control console 12 on which is provideda selector means 13 for presetting a sequential control means showndiagrammatically at 14. The presettable sequential control means 14 maybe adjusted by the machine operator and thereinafter operates thewasher-dryer through a programmed series of soaking, washing, rinsing,extracting and drying steps so that a batch of materials to be treatedmay be placed in the machine 10 in soiled condition and automaticallysubjected to a complete washing and drying cycle in the same machine forremoval from the machine in a completely laundered condition.

In the machine of the present invention, there is provided a tub showngenerally at 16 in which a drum is rotated on a horizontal axis andhaving a drive shaft 17 to which is connected the hub 18 of a pulleylwheel -19. It will be understood that a batch of materials may beintroduced into the drum and subjected to treatment in the treatmentzone prescribed by the tub 16.

In order to conduct washing operations in the treatment zone 16, meansforming a hydraulic circuit are provided including the treatment zone 16and further including appropriate conduits 20 and valving such as shownat 21. At one point in the hydraulic circuit, a pump is provided whichpump is shown at 22 and is connected to the hydraulic circuit as at 23,thereby to drive a stream of liquid through the hydraulic circuit torecirculate the fluid through treatment zone 16. It will be furtherunderstood that the pump 22 may be employed to withdraw liquid from thetreatment zone 16 and may also be used to direct liquid from thetreatment zone 16 into an available drain or into a storage reservoir inorder to save laundry liquid for a subsequent washing operation if it isso desired.

In order to provide adequate drying conditions within the treatment zone.16, means forming an air circuit are provided and at one point in theair circuit there is provided an air translating means taking the formof a blower 24 having a drive shaft 26 connected to a pulley wheel 27.The blower 24 may conveniently take the form of an air translating meansof the centrifugal type having a center inlet receiving moist air fromthe treatment zone 16 and discharging the same into lint separator means28. A heater box is shown diagrammatically at 29 for the purpose ofadding thermal energy to the stream of air directed into the treatmentzone, thereby enhancing the ability of the stream of air to pick upmoisture.

The pump 22 is shown in greater detail in FIGURE 5 and comprises acasing 36 having a pumping chamber 31 formed therein in which is rotatedan impeller 32 carried on the end of a drive shaft 33. The pump has aninlet 34 and an outlet 36. The shaft 33 is journaled in spaced bearingmeans 37 and is lubricated by lubricant saturated Wicks 38 containedwithin an enlarged reservoir 39.

Referring to the right-hand of the pump assembly, as shown in theorientation of FIGURE 5, a hearing assembly is provided including aninner race ring it) which is carried on the shaft 33 and an outer racering 41 is carried on the inside diameter of a pulley wheel 42. Aplurality of shiftable elements such as balls 43 are interposed betwecnthe inner and outer race rings 4th and i1, thereby to journal the pulleywheel 42 for rotation relative to the shaft 33. I

Axially outwardly of the pulley wheel 42, there is provided a secondpulley wheel 44 which is shouldered against 3 the inner race ring 49 asat 46 and which is clamped into co-rotatable assembly with the shaft 33by means of a nut 47 threadedly engaged with a threaded end portion 48formed on the end of the shaft 33. Thus, while the pulley Wheel 42 isrotatable relative to the shaft 33, the pulley wheel 44 is co-rotatablewith the shaft 33.

In order to drive the drum via the pulley wheell9, the blower 24 via thepulley Wheel 27 and thepurnp 22 via the pulley wheel 44, a drive motorand speed changing mechanism is provided which is shown generally at5l.In a normal laundering cycle, the drum is selectively opcrated either ata tumbling speed for effecting awashing or a rinsingraction and vat ahigher centrifuging speed for effecting an extracting operation. Thus,the .motor and speed changer 51 is shown as provided with two separateshaft outputs 53 and 54, the. shaft 53 being connected to a pulley wheel55 and the shaft 54 being connected to a pulley wheel 56. A pulley belt57 is entrained over the pulley wheel. 56 and over the pulley wheel 19,thereby to. rotatably drive the shaft 17 and the drum within thetreatment zone 16 either ata tumbling speed or at centrifuging speed, orconceivably at other intermediate speeds as may be desired in theoperation of the machine it A pulley belt 52 is entrained over thepulley wheel 55.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 in connection with FIG- URE 5, it will benoted that the pulley beltSZ selectively engages either the pulley wheel44 or the pulley. wheel 42; When the belt 52 engages the pulley wheel44,. the shaft 33 is rotated and the pumpZZ is operated.

When the b'elt 52 engages the pulley wheel 42, the pulley wheel 42drives a pulley belt do which is trained over the pulley wheel 27,thereby to drive the blower 24. In this connection, note that thepulleywheel 52 is constructed wit'h two peripheral grooves 61 and 62.The pulley wheel 44 is also provided with a peripheral groove 63'. Thegrooves 62 and -63J2i16 positioned directly adjacent one another and thegroove 61 is locatedat a position of a slightly larger diameter, therebyproviding a radial shoulder 64 so that the pulley ;belt 52 may bequickly and conveniently shifted between the groove 62 and the groove63, thereby to selectively engage or disengagea corresponding pulleywheel.

A pulley shifting mechanism is provided which is more clearlyillustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4.

As illustrated in FlGURE 4, a bracket 7%) has as a part thereof abushing 71 flanged as at 72 for retention by a fastening means 73. Thebushinghas a cut out providing a cam surface 74- which extends bothradially; and axially in a circumferential direction relative to ashaft76 which extends through the bushing 71 and is supported for bothaxial and rotatable movement with respect thereto.

The shaft 76 has extending radially outwardlythereof a lever arm 77which is firmly connected to the shaft 76. One end of the lever arm 77is connected as at 7310 a coil spring 79, the other end of the spring 79being connected as at 86a to, a plunger 81 of a solenoid motor showngenerally at 82.

At the other end of the shaft 76, there is provided a belt actuatingmember 80 having a U-shaped groove 81 adapted to receive the pulley belt52. A coil spring 83 extends between the actuator 89 and the flange 7-2of the bushing 71. Thus, the coil spring 7 together withthe coil spring83 operates as a continuous biasing means for keeping the lever arm 77in engagement with the cam surface 74 and the shaft 76 will thus benormally biased to a first position corresponding to a first position ofthe belt 52 on one of the pulley wheels 42 and 44.

When the solenoid motor 82 is energized, the lever arm 77 will be movedagainst the am surface 74 thereby moving the shaft '75 axially inwardlyagainst the bias of the'spring S3 and the pulley belt 52 will be shiftedfrom the dotted line position to the full line position, as shown inFIGURE 4.

Since the solenoid motor 82 is electrical, it can be readily integratedinto the automatic sequential control means associated with the machineand thus, the solenoid motor 82 may be directly controlled by thepresettable sequential controller 14 so that the belt 52 will be shiftedto inactivate the blower whenever the machine is operating in a washingcycle and to inactivate the pumping means whenever the machine isoperating in a drying cycle.

By virtue of the provisions made by this invention, it will beappreciated the blower will not be operated during the washing cyclethereby preventing the blower housing from becoming wet and preventinglint build up in the air circuit portions of the machine. Further, watervapor in the treatment zone will not be extracted by the inactivatedblower. Itwill also be noted that the selective operation of the. pumpand blower will materially reduce the total operating time of eachrespective portion of the machine, thereby saving .wear and tear of thepump and blower components and extendingnthe total machine life andeffectiveness. .A driving motor of lesser total power capacity .may alsobe eifec'tivelyernployed Without lossoffunctional advantage and with acorresponding reduction in expense.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in theart, it should be understood that I wishto embody withinthe scope or"the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonablyandproperly come within the scopeof my contribution to the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive prpperty orprivilege .is claimed .are 'definedas follows:

1. A combination washer-dryer comprising means forming a. treatmentzone: in .which materialsare placed for successive washing anddrying ,operaien means forming ahydraulic circuit includingsaiditreatment zone, pumping ,Ineans in said hydraulic circuitfordriving a. stream ofliquid through said hydraulic circuit and forremoving the liquid from the circuit in connecvtion withthewashingoperations, 7 means forming a pnepmatic circuit including said treamentzone,

blower means in-,-sa-id.pneun atic circuit for driving, astrearn;ofairthrough said treatment zone m dian w hsai dr i s s is .a commondrive motor for saidpumping means and sa d l wsr mean and a clutchingapparatus comprising a pul-leyawheel for each of saidpumping and b wmean 1 a pulley belt having a driven connection with said drive motor,and, a belt shifting means for inatcivating said P m mea du 7 r n o erai n nd foninatcivating said blower means during washing operations byshifting said pulley belt between said pulley wh eels. 2,,Acombinationwashendryer as defined in claim 1, said belt-shifting meanscomprising anelectrically operated control motor, a d a seq en i l. c nro mea fo au qma isally- Opcrating said machine through aseries ofwashing and drying periods, and beingiin control of said gen-- trolmotor to automatically activate and inactivate s Pu pin and blpwcrme nat .co re a n ns portions of the program. 6. A combinationwasher dryeras defined in claim 1,, said belt-shifting means comprising a solenoidmotorhaving acoiland a plunger, a bracket having a shaft axially and.rotatably shiftable therein,

saidbracket having a cam surface extending circumferentially around saidshaft in radial axial direction,

a lever arm connected to said shaft and to said plunger and engagingsaid cam surface, biasing means urging said shaft and said lever arm toa first position relative to said cam surface and corresponding to afirst position of said pulley belt on one of said pulley wheels,

said plunger upon actuation of said solenoid moving said lever arm toaxially shift said shaft against said biasing means, and a belt-engagingactuator carried on the end of said shaft to move said pulley belt fromone pulley wheel to the other. 4. A combination washer-dryer as definedin claim 3, and a sequential control means for automatically operatingsaid machine through a series of washing and drying periods and being incontrol of said control motor to automatically activate and inactivatesaid pumping and blower means at corresponding portions of the program.5. A combination washer-dryer comprising means forming a treatment zonein which materials are placed for successive washing and dryingoperations, a rotatable drum in said treatment zone, hydraulic circuitmeans including a pump operable during the Washing operation of saidWasher-dryer, pneumatic circuit means including a blower for operationduring the drying operations of said washerdryer, and a common drivemotor for said drum, said pump and said blower,

said drive motor having a speed-changing means for driving said drum attumbling speed and at centrifuging speed, and a clutching apparatusoperatively connecting said drive motor with said pump and said blowerto activate said blower only during drying operations and to activatesaid pump only during washing operations, said clutching apparatuscomprising a pulley wheel for each of said pump and said blower, apulley belt having a driven connection with said drive motor, and beltshifting means for inactivating said pump during drying operations andfor inactivating said blower during washing operations by shifting saidpulley belt between said pulley wheels. 6. A combination washer-dryer asdefined in claim 5, said belt-shifting means comprising an electricallyoperated control motor, and a sequential control means for automaticallyoperating said machine through a series of washing and drying periodsand being in control of said control motor to automatically activate andinactivate said pump and said blower at corresponding portions of theprogram. 7. A belt-shifting means for a pulley system comprising asolenoid motor having a coil and a plunger, a bracket having a shaftaxially and rotatably shiftable therein,

said bracket having a cam surface extending circumferentially aroundsaid shaft in radial and axial direction, a lever arm connected to saidshaft into said plunger and engaging said cam surface, biasing meansurging said shaft and said lever arm to a first position relative tosaid cam surface and corresponding to a first position of a pulley beltto be acted upon by said belt-shifting means,

6 said plunger upon actuation of said solenoid moving said lever arm toaxially shift said shaft against said biasing means, and a belt engagingactuator carried on the end of said 5 shaft and engageable with thepulley belt to physically transpose the position of the pulley belt forbeltshifting purposes. 8. In combination with a laundering apparatushaving at least two pulley driven components, the improve- 10 ment of aclutching apparatus comprising a pulley wheel for each of the pulleydriven components, a pulley belt having a driven connection with asource of motive power, and belt-shifting means for selectivelyinactivating said pulley wheels by shifting said pulley belt betweensaid pulley wheels. 9. In combination with a laundering apparatus asdefined in claim 8,

said belt-shifting means comprising an electrically operated controlmotor, and a sequential control means for automatically operating saidlaundry apparatus through a series of separate periods of a programcycle and being in control of said control motor to automaticallyactivate and inactivate corresponding components driven by the pulley atcorresponding portions of the programed cycle. 10. In combination with alaundering apparatus as defined in claim 8,

said belt-shifting means comprising a solenoid motor having a coil and aplunger, a bracket having a shaft axially and rotatably shiftabletherein,

said bracket having a cam surface extending circumferentially aroundsaid shaft in radial and axial direction,

a lever arm connected to said shaft and to said plunger and engagingsaid cam surface, biasing means urging said shaft and said lever arm toa first position relative to said cam surface and corresponding to afirst position of said pulley belt on one of said pulley wheels,

said plunger upon actuation of said solenoid moving said lever arm toaxially shift said shaft against said biasing means, and a belt engagingactuator carried on the end of said shaft to move said pulley belt fromone pulley wheel to the other, 11. In combination with a launderingapparatus as defined in claim 10,

and a sequential control means for automatically operating said machinethrough a series of separate periods in a programed cycle and being incontrol of said control motor to automatically activate and inactivatesaid pulley driven components at corresponding portions of the programedcycle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1943 Bowen.

1/1962 Haverstock et al. 68-19 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Examiner.

8. IN COMBINATION WITH A LAUNDERING APPARATUS HAVING AT LEAST TWO PULLEYDRIVEN COMPONENTS, THE IMPROVEMENT OF A CLUTCHING APPARATUS COMPRISING APULLEY WHEEL FOR EACH OF THE PULLEY DRIVEN COMPONENTS, A PULLEY BELTHAVING A DRIVEN CONNECTION WITH A SOURCE OF MOTIVE POWER, ANDBELT-SHIFTING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY INACTIVATING SAID PULLEY WHEELS BYSHIFTING SAID PULLEY BELT BETWEEN SAID PULLEY BELT B